Alcoa

Alcoa is one of the world's largest aluminium smelting companies. Their 2005 Annual Report notes that: "The aluminum industry is at an unprecedented point in history... along with most of our markets. Consumption of aluminum is expected to double by 2020. And Alcoa is uniquely positioned to seize this growth."

In 2006, sales were US$30.4 billion with profits of US$2.2 billion.

Conservation projects

 * "The Right Thing to Do - Alcoa Foundation donated $8.6 million to create a six-year, global conservation and sustainability fellowship program to conduct research which will be given away free to companies and nongovernmental organizations worldwide to spur better sustainable development practices."
 * "Preserving the Land - The first Corporate Park Achievement Award from the U.S. National Parks Conservation Association was given to Alcoa for preserving 10,000 acres of land next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee."
 * "Living with Nature - The Alumar Environmental Park in Brazil."
 * "Conserving Biodiversity - Alcoa is working with Conservation International and Guinée Ecologie, Guinea’s national environment group, on maintaining the sustainable development of the region. Alcoa has access to some of the world’s largest bauxite reserves in Guinea."
 * "Alcoa’s San Ciprián (Spain) and Massena (U.S.) plants are enlightening youngsters about energy conservation. San Ciprián partnered with a local school to teach students about renewable energy. Through an Alcoa Foundation grant, Illa de Sarón de Xove Secondary Education Institution invested in an alternative energy generator project, a photovoltaic solar facility connected to a power grid and wind energy generator. Massena Operations is helping Cornell University Cooperative Extension build an interactive energy closet where children can monitor their energy use while at a summer camp."

Lobbying
Alcoa spent $920,000 for lobbying in 2006. Five lobbying firms were used including Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. and The Cohen Group.

Power portfolio
Alcoa also owns 37 electric generating stations in the U.S., which total 1,721 MW capacity; this electricity is largely used to power Alcoa's aluminum processing. Out of this total, 65.0% comes from coal, 31.4% from hydroelectricity, and 3.7% from natural gas. Alcoa owns power plants in Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Coal-fired power plants
Alcoa had 7 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 1118 MW of capacity. Here are details on Alcoa's coal power plants:

In 2005, these two coal-fired power plants emitted 8.7 million tons of CO2 and 144,000 tons of SO2 (1.0% of all U.S. SO2 emissions).

Alcoa, Inc. Clean Air Act Settlement
On April 9, 2003 the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. EPA announced a settlement agreement with Alcoa Inc. for an estimated $330 million to install a new coal-fired power plant at its aluminum production facility in Rockdale, Texas with upgraded pollution controls to help eliminate sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

The settlement resolved allegations filed in federal court by the EPA and its co-plaintiffs, Neighbors for Neighbors, Inc., Environmental Defense, and Public Citizen that the company had unlawfully operated the Sandow Station since it overhauled the Rockdale power plant without installing necessary pollution controls and without first obtaining proper permits required by the New Source Review program of the Clean Air Act.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's executive director Margaret Hoffman said, “As a result of this joint investigation and cooperative effort between state and federal officials, Texans will enjoy cleaner air. That's a victory for everyone.”

The EPA notes that Alcoa's coal-fired plant, located in northeast of Austin, was the single largest non-utility source of SO2 and NOx emissions in the country. The plant generates electricity for two aluminum smelters and a strip-mining operation that supplies lignite coal for the power plant. The aluminum at the plant is used for truck wheels, cans, die-casts, machinery, components for telecommunication devices and appliances.

Alcoa also paid a $1.5 million civil suit and $2.5 million on two additional environmental projects in an attempt to offset past emissions.

Personnel
Executives and 2006 pay:
 * Alain Belda, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, $11,569,694
 * Robert T. Alexander, Vice President
 * Ricardo E. Belda, Executive Vice President
 * William F. Christopher, Executive Vice President, $3,722,435
 * Joseph C. Muscari, Executive Vice President, $3,621,081
 * Earl Robbins, Public & Government Affairs Manager Alcoa Eastalco Works
 * Richard L. Siewert, Jr., Vice President – EHS, Global Communications and Public Strategy

Directors: 
 * Alain Belda
 * Kathryn S. Fuller
 * Carlos Ghosn
 * Joseph T. Gorman
 * Judith M. Gueron
 * Klaus Kleinfeld
 * James W. Owens
 * Henry B. Schacht
 * Franklin A. Thomas
 * Ernesto Zedillo

Related SourceWatch articles

 * EPA Coal Plant Settlements
 * Alcoa of Australia
 * Climate Action Partnership
 * Mining industry
 * Ronnie Hampel - former board member

External articles

 * Sarah Lyall, "Smokestacks in a White Wilderness Divide Iceland in a Development Debate", New York Times/CorpWatch, February 4, 2007.

External resources

 * Alcoa 2005 Annual Report: Seizing Global Opportunities.